BEIJING, Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On Monday, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) for the first time at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus” Meeting. This initiative, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), marks another significant proposal by China. It has received high acclaim and active support from all sides. At a critical juncture when global governance is like rowing upstream – either advance or retreat – the proposal of the GGI comes at the right time. It not only aligns with the common expectations of the vast majority of countries in the world but also vividly demonstrates China’s sense of responsibility as a major power.
As the Concept Paper on the Global Governance Initiative points out, the current international landscape is undergoing changes and turbulence. The UN and multilateralism are being challenged. The deficit in global governance continues to grow. The existing international institutions have shown three deficiencies. First, serious underrepresentation of the Global South. The collective rise of emerging markets and developing countries necessitates boosting the representation of the Global South and redressing historical injustice. Second, erosion of authoritativeness. The purposes and principles of the UN Charter have not been effectively observed. Resolutions of the Security Council have been challenged. Unilateral sanctions, among other practices, have violated international law and disrupted the international order. Third, urgent need for greater effectiveness. The implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is seriously lagging behind. Issues such as climate change and the digital divide are becoming more salient. Governance gaps exist in new frontiers such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyberspace and outer space. In this context, the reform and improvement of the global governance system have become significant concerns for the international community, with countries around the world eagerly anticipating more perspectives and solutions from China.
In his important speech at the “SCO Plus” Meeting, President Xi systematically elaborated on the five core principles of the GGI: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach, and focusing on taking real actions. These principles offer profound guidance on the pressing subject of our times of “what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance.”
Among them, sovereign equality is the primary prerequisite for global governance, the international rule of law is its fundamental safeguard, multilateralism is the basic path, the people-centered approach is its value orientation, and taking real actions is an important principle for global governance. These five core principles are fully in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resonate with the evolving trends of international relations, and carry both a strong sense of historical continuity and highly practical relevance.
For instance, in response to the so-called “pseudo-multilateralism,” which in reality amounts to forming exclusive “small circles,” the initiative clearly affirms its commitment to upholding the authority and central role of the UN. Concerning the vague rhetoric of a “rules-based order,” it explicitly defines the rules as the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Regarding double standards and attempts to enforce “homegrown rules” on others, it forcefully advocates that “international law and rules must be applied equally and uniformly.” These positions of the GGI make it clear that reforming and improving global governance is not about overturning the existing international order or creating a parallel system outside the current framework. Rather, it aims to strengthen the implementation and effectiveness of existing international systems and mechanisms, so they better adapt to changing circumstances, respond more promptly and effectively to global challenges, and serve the interests of all countries, especially developing nations.
As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and the largest developing country, China has always firmly committed to being a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of international order, and a provider of public goods. The GGI is another important public good that China offers to the international community in the new era, following the GDI, the GSI, and the GCI. The GDI focuses on promoting international development cooperation, the GSI aims to resolve international disputes through dialogue and consultation, the GCI is dedicated to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and the GGI anchors the direction, principles, and pathways for reforming global governance systems and mechanisms. The four initiatives each have their own emphasis and are complementary, injecting more positive energy into a world fraught with challenges from different angles, and collectively providing strategic support for building a community with a shared future for humanity.
“History tells us that at difficult times, we must uphold our original commitment to peaceful coexistence, strengthen our confidence in win-win cooperation, advance in line with the trend of history, and thrive in keeping pace with the times.” As President Xi has profoundly pointed out, humanity has become a closely intertwined community with a shared future. Enhancing global governance is the right choice for the international community to share in development opportunities and address global challenges. We must stand firmly on the right side of history, and join hands with all progressive forces in the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity and make relentless efforts for mankind’s noble cause of peace and development. This is precisely the significant practical and far-reaching historical significance of the introduction of the GGI.
